iPhone 5 Cases Will Fit iPhone 5S According to Case Maker

Will iPhone 5 cases fit the iPhone 5S? It’s a question we’ve been hearing from readers as the iPhone event approaches and leaks point to a device that looks almost identical to the iPhone 5 we are starting to get input from case makers.

Based on the latest round of iPhone 5S cases appearing online, it’s safe to say case makers think the iPhone 5 cases they already sell will work on the iPhone 5S.

If this is the case there will be a plethora of iPhone 5S cases available to users on day one. This is a major difference from the iPhone 5 release, when Apple Stores did not carry any iPhone 5 cases for months and it was tough to find decent cases for the first several weeks.

Spigen iPhone 5 cases should fit the iPhone 5S according to the company’s Japanese website.

As case makers start teasing iPhone 5S cases and some begin taking iPhone 5S case preorders it’s becoming clear that companies who invest large amounts of cash into making iPhone cases are betting on an iPhone 5S that fits in most iPhone 5 cases.

Spigen Japan prepares for iPhone 5S and iPhone 5 cases that fit the new iPhone and the old device.

The change is not in place on the U.S. version of the website, but it is a sign that Spigen is planning on the iPhone 5S name and the same form factor.

While case makers don’t get an inside track from Apple in most instances, they are keenly following the rumors and once rumors start to take shape into a specific style device, they can begin working on new case.

We will likely see many other case makers jump on board with the iPhone 5S name and iPhone 5 cases which they claim will fit both devices. When the iPhone 5S release arrives, likely on September 20th, we could see some cases at stores with the iPhone 5S/5 label and likely many more with a “new iPhone” sticker or label.

Leaks point to a dual-led flash on the iPhone 5S. Image via Martin Hajek.

While the iPhone 5S leaks point to a device that will use the same dimensions as the iPhone 5, panels that include an opening for the rumored dual-LED flash show a bigger opening which may mean that not every iPhone 5 case will work perfectly with the iPhone 5S.

Apple tells case makers to avoid flash interference.

Apple offers developer guidelines for iPhone cases, which include specific instructions for case openings to avoid interacting with the flash or lens. The image below shows an Apple case maker document for the iPhone 5 which includes specific measurements and the image above shows Apple’s reference document outlining flash interference caused by cases that bounce back some of the flash.

Until Apple updates the document for the iPhone 5S and case makers get their hands on the iPhone 5S on release day we don’t know for certain, but chances are good the iPhone 5S will work with most iPhone 5 cases on day one. We could even see iPhone 5S battery cases available on day one.